Setting up an online support group

This guide is a working list of resources to help groups set up and run online events. We will continue to improve it and welcome feedback and suggestions via hello@communitymakers.co

1. Defining the need

Working out the aims of the online meetings and events can help answer all the other questions and choices you will need to make:
• What are the aims of the group?
• Identify who you are supporting
• Recruit and invite people to join the group.
• Perform a technology audit with your participants to determine how to connect to people
• Establish a long-term strategy: Will your service be online, offline, or a hybrid of both?

Resources on Community Makers website:
• Insight: Starting small
• Insight: Persuading carers to give it a try

2. Skills

Make sure you have the digital skills and support you need to run an online meeting, which include:
• Facilitating online meetings
• Helping others to use the software
• Defining roles and responsibilities
• Agreeing protocols and etiquette for online meetings

Resources on Community Makers website:
• Insight: Facilitating online meetings
• Insight: Helping others use the software
• Insight: Getting to grips with online meetings

3. Equipment and Technology

Making sure you are set up with the best available devices and apps will help people get involved and have a good experience worth returning for.

Resources on Community Makers website:
• Choosing the right software platform
• Working out what devices people are using
• Including people without devices

4. Managing risk

To protect yourselves and your members, as well as meeting regulations, you should have the following policies and documents in place:
• Duty of Care: Risk assessment for physical well-being of participants
• Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)
• GDPR, Fair Processing Notice & Consent

External resources:
• digisafe.thecatalyst.org.uk
• ico.org.uk > GDPR
• ico.org.uk > DPIA

5. Getting started

The first events can be the trickiest as everyone gets to grips with the technology and protocols. To help with this:
• Test the tech with each participant
• Set expectations and make people feel comfortable
• Set an agenda or activity
• Co-design the service with participants to meet their needs: appropriate frequency, session lengths and group sizes